[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 11, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27296-27300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11136]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 90

[WT Docket No. 11-69, ET Docket No. 09-234; FCC 11-63]


Private Land Mobile Radio Service Regulations

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to modify our rules to permit the 
implementation of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) technology in the 
United States. We also seek comment on our proposed technical rules 
that would enable digital technologies like TETRA to operate without 
causing interference to existing systems, and on how the deployment of 
TETRA technology may affect public safety interoperability. Comments on 
these proposed rule changes will aid the Commission in determining 
whether or not it is in the public interest to make TETRA technology 
available to private wireless users, especially those that must comply 
with the upcoming narrowbanding requirements.

DATES: Submit comments on or before June 27, 2011 and reply comments 
are due on or before August 9, 2011.

[[Page 27297]]


ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by WT Docket No. 11-69 
and ET Docket No. 09-234; FCC 11-63, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     People With Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Maguire, Mobility Division, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-2155.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking and Order (``NPRM'') in WT Docket No. 11-69 and 
ET Docket No. 09-234, FCC 11-63, adopted April 18, 2011, and released 
April 26, 2011. The full text of this document is available for 
inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC 
Reference Center, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. The 
complete text may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, 
Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, 
Washington, DC 20554. The full text may also be downloaded at: http://www.fcc.gov. Alternative formats are available to persons with 
disabilities by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or by calling the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).

I. Procedural Matters

A. Ex Parte Rules-Permit-But-Disclose Proceeding

    1. This is a permit-but-disclose notice and comment rulemaking 
proceeding. Ex parte presentations are permitted, except during the 
Sunshine Agenda period, provided they are disclosed as provided in the 
Commission's Rules.

B. Comment Dates

    2. Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments and reply 
comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this 
document. Comments may be filed using: (1) The Commission's Electronic 
Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government's eRulemaking 
Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of 
Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).

     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one 
docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, 
filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, 
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
     All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings 
for the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 
445 12th St., SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours 
are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with 
rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before 
entering the building.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton 
Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
     U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority 
mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington DC 20554.
    People With Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an e-mail to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    3. This NPRM does not contain any proposed information 
collection(s) subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13. In addition, it does not contain any new or modified 
``information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees,'' pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief 
Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).

II. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    4. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), the 
Commission has prepared this present Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis (IRFA) of the possible significant economic impact on small 
entities by the policies and rules proposed and set forth in Appendix 
B. We request written public comments on this IRFA which must be filed 
in accordance with the same filing deadlines as the comments on the 
rest of the NPRM. The Commission shall send a copy of this NPRM, 
including the IRFA, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 
Business Administration. In addition, a copy of this NPRM and IRFA (or 
summaries thereof) will also be published in the Federal Register.
    5. The proposed rules in the NPRM are intended to permit the 
implementation in the United States of land mobile radio equipment 
utilizing Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) technology. TETRA is a 
spectrally efficient digital technology that we believe can provide 
valuable benefits to land mobile radio users.

A. Legal Basis

    6. Authority for issuance of this item is contained in Sections 
4(i), 303(r), and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 
U.S.C. 154(i), 303(r), and 403.

B. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to Which 
the Proposed Rules Will Apply

    7. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3), the RFA directs agencies to 
provide a description of and, where feasible, an estimate of the number 
of small entities that may be affected by the proposed rules, if 
adopted. The RFA generally defines the term ``small entity'' as having 
the same meaning as the terms ``small business,'' ``small 
organization,'' and ``small governmental jurisdiction.'' Id. In 
addition, according to 5 U.S.C. 601(3), the term ``small business'' has 
the same meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the Small 
Business Act. A small business concern is one that: (1) Is 
independently owned and operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of 
operation; and (3) satisfies any additional criteria established by the 
SBA at 5 U.S.C. 632. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 601(3), the statutory 
definition of a small business applies ``unless an agency after 
consultation with the Office of Advocacy of the SBA, and after 
opportunity for public comment, establishes one or more definitions of 
such term which are appropriate to the activities of the agency and 
publishes

[[Page 27298]]

such definition(s) in the Federal Register.'' Below, we further 
describe and estimate the number of small entity licensees and 
regulatees that may be affected by the rules changes proposed in this 
NPRM.
    8. Private Land Mobile Radio Licensees. PLMR systems serve an 
essential role in a range of industrial, business, land transportation, 
and public safety activities. These radios are used by companies of all 
sizes operating in all U.S. business categories, and are often used in 
support of the licensee's primary (non-telecommunications) business 
operations. For the purpose of determining whether a licensee of a PLMR 
system is a small business as defined by the SBA, we use the broad 
census category, Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except 
Satellite). This definition provides that a small entity is any such 
entity employing no more than 1,500 persons. See 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS 
code 517210. The Commission does not require PLMR licensees to disclose 
information about number of employees, so the Commission does not have 
information that could be used to determine how many PLMR licensees 
constitute small entities under this definition. We note that PLMR 
licensees generally use the licensed facilities in support of other 
business activities, and therefore, it would also be helpful to assess 
PLMR licensees under the standards applied to the particular industry 
subsector to which the licensee belongs. See generally 13 CFR 121.201.
    9. As of March 2010, there were 424,162 PLMR licensees operating 
921,909 transmitters in the PLMR bands below 512 MHz. We note that any 
entity engaged in a commercial activity is eligible to hold a PLMR 
license, and that any revised rules in this context could therefore 
potentially impact small entities covering a great variety of 
industries.
    10. RF Equipment Manufacturers. The Census Bureau defines this 
category as follows: ``This industry comprises establishments primarily 
engaged in manufacturing radio and television broadcast and wireless 
communications equipment. Examples of products made by these 
establishments are: transmitting and receiving antennas, cable 
television equipment, GPS equipment, pagers, cellular phones, mobile 
communications equipment, and radio and television studio and 
broadcasting equipment.'' See U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 NAICS 
Definitions, ``334220 Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless 
Communications Equipment Manufacturing''; http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/def/NDEF334.HTM#N3342. The SBA small business size standard for 
Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment 
Manufacturing is all such firms having 750 or fewer employees. See 13 
CFR 121.201, NAICS code 334220. According to Census Bureau data for 
2002, there were a total of 1,041 establishments in this category that 
operated for the entire year. See U.S. Census Bureau, American 
FactFinder, 2002 Economic Census, Industry Series, Industry Statistics 
by Employment Size, NAICS code 334220 (released May 26, 2005); http://factfinder.census.gov. The number of ``establishments'' is a less 
helpful indicator of small business prevalence in this context than 
would be the number of ``firms'' or ``companies,'' because the latter 
take into account the concept of common ownership or control. Any 
single physical location for an entity is an establishment, even though 
that location may be owned by a different establishment. Thus, the 
numbers given may reflect inflated numbers of businesses in this 
category, including the numbers of small businesses. In this category, 
the Census breaks-out data for firms or companies only to give the 
total number of such entities for 2002, which were 929. Of this total, 
1,010 had employment of fewer than 500, and an additional 13 had 
employment of 500 to 999. An additional 18 establishments had 
employment of 1,000 or more. Thus, under this size standard, the 
majority of firms can be considered small.

C. Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other 
Compliance Requirements for Small Entities

    11. There are no projected reporting, recordkeeping or other 
compliance requirements.

D. Steps Taken To Minimize Significant Economic Impact on Small 
Entities and Significant Alternatives Considered

    12. The RFA requires an agency to describe any significant 
alternatives that it has considered in reaching its proposed approach, 
which may include the following four alternatives: (1) The 
establishment of differing compliance or reporting requirements or 
timetables that take into account the resources available to small 
entities; (2) the clarification, consolidation, or simplification of 
compliance or reporting requirements under the rule for small entities; 
(3) the use of performance, rather than design, standards; and (4) an 
exemption from coverage of the rule, or any part thereof, for small 
entities.\1\
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    \1\ 5 U.S.C. 603(c)(1)-(4).
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    13. We hereby invite interested parties to address any or all of 
these regulatory alternatives and to suggest additional alternatives to 
minimize any significant economic impact on small entities. Any 
significant alternative presented in the comments will be considered.

E. Federal Rules That May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With the 
Proposed Rules

    14. None.

III. Ordering Clauses

    15. Pursuant to sections 1, 4(i), 303(f), 303(g), and 303(r) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 303(f), 
303(g), and 303(r), this Notice of Proposed Rule Making is adopted.
    16. The Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 
Reference Information Center, shall send a copy of this Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making, including the Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration.
    17. Pursuant to sections 4(i), 302, and 303(e), of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 302, and 
303(e), and Sec.  1.925 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.925, the 
Request for Waiver filed by the TETRA Association on November 20, 2009, 
is granted in part and denied in part to the extent set forth above. 
This action is effective upon release of this Order.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 90

    Communications equipment, Private land mobile, Radio.

Federal Communications Commission.
Bulah P. Wheeler,
Deputy Manager.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR part 90 as follows:

PART 90--PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES

    1. The authority citation for part 90 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  Sections 4(i), 11, 303(g), 303(r), and 332(c)(7) of 
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 161, 
303(g), 303(r), 332(c)(7).

    2. Section 90.209 is amended in the table in paragraph (b)(5) by 
adding footnote 6 to read as follows:

[[Page 27299]]

Sec.  90.209  Bandwidth limitations.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (5) * * *

                   Standard Channel Spacing/Bandwidth
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Channel
      Frequency band  (MHz)          spacing       Authorized bandwidth
                                      (kHz)               (kHz)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                              * * * * * * *
406-512 \2\.....................       \1\ 6.25   \1\ \3\ \6\ 20/11.25/6
806-809/851-854.................          12.5                    \6\ 20
809-824/854-869.................          25                      \6\ 20
 
                              * * * * * * *
929-930.........................          25                      \6\ 20
 
                              * * * * * * *
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\1\ For stations authorized on or after August 18, 1995.
\2\ Bandwidths for radiolocation stations in the 420-450 MHz band and
  for stations operating in bands subject to this footnote will be
  reviewed and authorized on a case-by-case basis.
\3\ Operations using equipment designed to operate with a 25 kHz channel
  bandwidth will be authorized a 20 kHz bandwidth. Operations using
  equipment designed to operate with a 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth will
  be authorized a 11.25 kHz bandwidth. Operations using equipment
  designed to operate with a 6.25 kHz channel bandwidth will be
  authorized a 6 kHz bandwidth. All stations must operate on channels
  with a bandwidth of 12.5 kHz or less beginning January 1, 2013, unless
  the operations meet the efficiency standard of Sec.   90.203(j)(3).
* * * * *
\6\ Operations using equipment designed to operate with a 25 kHz channel
  bandwidth may be authorized up to a 22 kHz bandwidth if the equipment
  meets the Adjacent Channel Power limits of Sec.   90.221.
* * * * *

    3. Section 90.210 is amended by adding footnote 5 to the table to 
read as follows:


Sec.  90.210  Emission masks.

* * * * *

                                            Applicable Emission Masks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Mask for equipment with audio low     Mask for equipment without audio
         Frequency band (MHz)                       pass filter                        low pass filter
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
421-512 \2, 5\........................  B, D, or E.........................  C, D, or E.
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
809-824/854-869 \3, 5\................  B..................................  G.
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
\2\ Equipment designed to operate with a 25 kHz channel bandwidth must meet the requirements of Emission Mask B
  or C, as applicable. Equipment designed to operate with a 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth must meet the
  requirements of Emission Mask D, and equipment designed to operate with a 6.25 kHz channel bandwidth must meet
  the requirements of Emission Mask E.
\3\ Equipment used in this licensed to EA or non-EA systems shall comply with the emission mask provisions of
  Sec.   90.691.
* * * * *
\5\ Equipment in the 450-470 MHz and 817-824/862-869 MHz bands may alternatively meet the Adjacent Channel Power
  Limits of Sec.   90.221.
* * * * *

    4. Section 90.221 is added to subpart I to read as follows:


Sec.  90.221  Adjacent channel power limits.

    (a) For the frequency bands indicated in 90.209, operations using 
equipment designed to operate with a 25 kHz channel bandwidth may be 
authorized up to a 22 kHz bandwidth if the equipment meets the adjacent 
channel power (ACP) limits below. The table specifies a value for the 
ACP as a function of the displacement from the channel center frequency 
and a measurement bandwidth of 25 kHz.
    (b)(1) Maximum adjacent power levels for frequencies below 700 MHz:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Maximum ACP (dBc) for    Maximum ACP (dBc) for
   Frequency offset     devices 1 watt and less   devices above  1 watt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 kHz................  -55 dBc................  -60 dBc.
50 kHz................  -70 dBc................  -70 dBc.
75 kHz................  -70 dBc................  -70 dBc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) In any case, no requirement in excess of -36 dBm shall apply.
    (c)(1) Maximum adjacent power levels for frequencies above 700 MHz:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Maximum ACP (dBc) for    Maximum ACP (dBc) for
   Frequency offset       devices less than 15     devices 15 watts and
                                 watts                    above
------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 kHz................  -55 dBc................  -55 dBc.
50 kHz................  -65 dBc................  -65 dBc.
75 kHz................  -65 dBc................  -70 dBc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (2) In any case, no requirement in excess of -36 dBm shall apply.
    (d) On any frequency removed from the assigned frequency by more 
than 75

[[Page 27300]]

kHz, the attenuation of any emission must be at least 43 + 10 log (P) 
dB.

[FR Doc. 2011-11136 Filed 5-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P